Art Madrid'25 – Se Alquila, art for disused spaces

Se Alquila ESTADO

 

 

SE ALQUILA was born as an alternative to the dominant cultural and defends a model of social management and participation in culture, working on current issues, analyzing the roles and daily habits of the community, inviting to action and reflection on specific topics of interest general.

 

 

 

 

 


As a sign of identity, SeAlquila (created by the cultural asociations ENTREsijos and Lacosacultural) occurs in public and private abandoned or underused spaces. They create ephemeral cultural events and give diffusion and visibility to the contemporary artistic creation. This kind of "squat" events, temporary and peaceful, it is a response to the need to reclaim the use of the multitude of spaces and properties, whether public or private, are abandoned, unused or underused to become "refuges creativity ", places of production, learning, reflection and enjoyment, also showing its exhibition and trade possibilities.

 

Se Alquila CUERPO

 

 

Se Alquila BURBUJA

 

 

In previous years they were held SeAlquila Bubble, SeAlquila Body, SeAlquila Market, Se Alquila State, and in this fifth edition, SeAlquila Public, has proposed to the creators of all disciplines working under the same concept, that of " public "in any of its forms. Thus, more than 100 proposals from all disciplines, painting, photography, performance, installation, video art ... make the program of performances, workshops, panel discussions, concerts and exhibitions that this year, in Madrid, will be held in one of the great nineteenth century buildings, the former headquarters of Daoiz and Velarde, present and future cultural center theater. And this year, SeAlquila is also based in Guayaquil (Ecuador).

 

 

 

 

 

On Thursday 19 and Friday 20 November, two debates-dialogue will be held, "to make (it) PUBLIC" which will feature professional and cultural players arrived in the public domain and independent practice (Azucena Klett - Area of ??Arts of the City Council of Madrid, Javier Martin -.. Art Advisory CAM, INTERMEDIAE, Goethe Inst and Javier Duero - Regardless commissioner). Both debates, open to public participation, try to develop a constructive dialogue on cultural policies and other forms of participation in the management of culture in Madrid.

 

 

On Saturday November 21, the artistic projects selected this year will be presented to the public ... and among them is UN OJO PARA EL ARTE / AN EYE FOR ART (# ArtMadrid15 partners, congratulations !!)

 

At the most recent edition of Art Madrid, artist Luis Olaso (Bilbao, 1986), represented by Kur Art Gallery (San Sebastián), received the Residency Prize of the Art Madrid Patronage Program. This award, the result of a collaboration between Art Madrid, DOM Art Residence, and the Italian association ExtrArtis, enabled him to undertake an artistic residency in Sorrento (Italy) in August 2025.

Through initiatives like this, the fair reaffirms its support for contemporary creation—a commitment aimed at increasing artists’ visibility and strengthening art collecting through concrete actions such as acquisition prizes, recognition of emerging talents, and international residencies.


Artists in Residence. DOM & ExtrArtis. Image courtesy of Agata D’Esposito.


The DOM & ExtrArtis 2025 Residency Program took place in Sorrento from August 1 to 31, 2025. The artists lived together at Relais La Rupe, a 16th-century villa surrounded by cliffs and centuries-old gardens, which became an ideal setting for experimentation and exchange.

In this edition, residents worked around the theme “Reimagining Genius Loci”, an invitation to reflect on how the movement of people and traditions transforms the “spirit of place.” During the residency, DOM organized two public group exhibitions: the first to present the artists’ previous work, and the second to showcase the projects developed in Sorrento.


Work by Luis Olaso. DOM & ExtrArtis. Image courtesy of Agata D’Esposito.


Luis Olaso’s work moves between expressionist figuration and abstraction, always employing a pictorial language charged with strength and emotion. Initially self-taught, he later graduated in Fine Arts and has developed a solid international career, with exhibitions at venues including JD Malat (London) and Makasiini Contemporary (Turku, Finland), and participation in fairs such as Untitled Miami, Estampa, and Art Madrid itself.

His work is part of prestigious collections, including the Tokyo Contemporary Art Foundation, Fundación SIMCO, and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, and has been recognized in competitions such as the Reina Sofía Prize for Painting and Sculpture and the Ibercaja Young Painting Prize.

In Sorrento, Olaso found a unique context to expand his pictorial research, engaging in dialogue with the Mediterranean landscape and the region’s historical heritage. The residency provided him with time, resources, and a framework for exchange with other international artists, fostering the production of new works that were later presented in the group exhibitions organized by DOM.


Luis Olaso working on his project. DOM & ExtrArtis. Image courtesy of DOM.

Luis Olaso’s experience at DOM Art Residence concluded with a public showcase of the works produced, reinforcing his presence on the international circuit and consolidating his position as one of the most prominent Basque artists on the contemporary scene.


Through initiatives such as this, Art Madrid demonstrates its active role as a platform for direct support of contemporary creation, creating opportunities for research, production, and intercultural dialogue that extend beyond the fair itself and accompany artists in their professional development.